PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joe Higashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bmo Morris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Higashi
vs
Morris

178 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
178 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Prefers standup

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joe Higashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bmo Morris!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shirou Masuda and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Morris shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Higashi's guard.
Morris showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Higashi can't keep his opponent in guard - Morris advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Higashi is trying to stand back up but Morris is controlling him
Higashi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Morris scores with a couple of nice shots.
Morris is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Higashi has hold of Morris's hands but Morris slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Morris drops an elbow to the side of Higashi's head.
Morris works his foot free and advances to mount.
Morris won't let Higashi get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Morris takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris working the ground and pound effectively.
Morris is landing with some decent strikes but Higashi is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Morris pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Morris controlling his opponent.
Morris working the ground and pound effectively.
Morris working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Morris controlling the position easily from mount.
Morris lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morris is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Morris landing shots from mount.
Morris content just to control the position here.
Higashi wants to try and get back to his feet.
Morris looking to control and managing it successfully.
Higashi tries to buck Morris off but he can't manage it.
Morris connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Morris controlling the pace for now.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Morris cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris landing strikes from the mount.
Morris takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Morris lands a nice shot to the head.
Morris dominating with strikes here.
Morris cracks Higashi with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Morris pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morris fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Higashi is breathing heavily.
Morris looking to control and managing it successfully.
Higashi tries to buck Morris off but he can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morris lands a big shot there that rocks Higashi but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Higashi is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Morris connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Morris scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Morris controlling the pace for now.
BOOM! Morris connects with a massive shot to the dome!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Morris controlling his opponent.
Morris has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Higashi takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Morris content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bmo Morris dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A combination from Higashi does no damage.

Morris looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Higashi is looking to escape.
Morris looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Morris scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Morris moves into full mount! Higashi won't be happy about that!
Morris controlling the pace for now.
Let's hope that Morris has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Higashi knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Morris on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris landing shots from mount.
Morris landing strikes from the mount and Higashi is in trouble!
Higashi is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Morris controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morris is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Morris sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Morris fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Morris tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Morris with shots to the head and body - Higashi looks very uncomfortable down there.
Morris lands a big elbow.
Morris landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris controlling his opponent.
Bmo Morris has got the better of the ground game so far.

Despite being in the dominant position, Bmo Morris just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick misses from Higashi.

Morris changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Higashi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Morris grinds an elbow into Higashi's temple.
A lull in the action here.
Morris wants to control but Higashi is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Morris works to advance to full mount. Higashi defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Morris punishing his opponent with strikes.
Higashi is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Morris punishing his opponent with strikes.
Morris lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Higashi wants to get back to his feet.
Morris landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bmo Morris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Morris swats away the attempt to clinch by Higashi.

Higashi has closed the distance and engaged Morris in a clinch.
Higashi wants to break the clinch but can't.

Morris has Higashi pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Morris pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Higashi tumbling to the mat - Morris dives into Higashi's guard.
Morris slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Morris lands some shots froms side control.
Morris lands a few punches from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morris works to advance to full mount. Higashi defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morris lands with some strikes.
Morris content just to control the position here.
Morris has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Morris won't let Higashi get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris landing strikes from the mount.
Morris controlling the position easily from mount.
Morris landing strikes from the mount.
Morris takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Morris with shots to the head and body - Higashi looks very uncomfortable down there.
Morris dominating with strikes here.
Higashi is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Morris.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morris takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Higashi taking shots to the head.
Morris controlling from the full mount.
Higashi is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Morris controlling the position easily from mount.
Morris lands a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Morris scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Higashi?
Morris looking to finish Higashi with some ground and pound. This is bad for Higashi!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
You get the feeling that Higashi really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Morris scoring with strikes but Higashi is staying in there.
Morris controlling from mount.
Morris lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Morris controlling the position easily from mount.
Morris lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Morris with a couple of short strikes.
Morris is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Joe Higashi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bmo Morris is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Morris controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bmo Morris comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Morris winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 25:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 25:30
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bmo Morris!